Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

Which attack sends large amounts of malicious traffic to disrupt legitimate traffic?

1. Unauthorized access

2. Client mis-association attack

3. Jamming signal attack

4. WEP attack

The correct answer is: Jamming signal attack

The correct response identifies an attack that inundates a network with excessive malicious traffic, effectively overwhelming legitimate data streams. This type of attack is often characterized by its goal of causing service disruption or degradation of network performance. A jamming signal attack specifically targets wireless communication by overwhelming the airwaves with interference, preventing legitimate users from accessing the network. This creates a situation where legitimate data cannot be sent or received, leading to a loss of service or connectivity for users who rely on that network. In contrast, other types of attacks listed are not primarily aimed at traffic disruption. Unauthorized access typically involves gaining entry to a system or network without permission but does not inherently involve disrupting traffic. A client mis-association attack involves tricking clients into connecting to a rogue access point instead of the legitimate one, primarily focused on redirecting traffic rather than sending malicious traffic. The WEP attack, while it does exploit vulnerabilities in WEP encryption, does not specifically aim to flood the network with excessive traffic to disrupt it. Thus, the nature and mechanisms of a jamming signal attack distinctly align with the objectives described in the question, illustrating its role in traffic disruption through malicious interference.